Mine fin



March 26, 1957 L. R. WALL MINE FIN 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 25, 1955 INVENTOR L. R. WALL TTORNE L. R. WALL March 26, 1957 MINE FIN 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25. 1955 mmq.

INVENTOR L. R. WALL ATTORNEY L. R. WALL March 26, 1957 MINE FIN 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 25, 1955 INVENTOR L. R. WALL QUE L. R. WALL March 26, 1957 MINE FIN 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 25, 1955 INVENTOR R. WALL f a W0.

ATTORNE 5 L. R. WALL March 26, 1957 MINE FIN 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 25, 1955 2d; rs

INVENTOR L. R. WALL ORNE MINE FIN Lester R. Wall, Silver Spring, Md., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to a stabilizing device and more particularly to a new and improved fin assembly suitable for use in a submarine launched mine.

Moreover, the invention provides a collapsible fin assembly for use with a sub-floating marine mine which may be quickly attached to the mine and which is capable of being stowed in a minimum amount of space when in a collapsed condition. The invention further provides a fin assembly composed of non-magnetic material which is sufficiently light in weight to facilitate handling during installation and which causes stability of the mine when the mine is moored in a body of water having strong tides or swift currents.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved stabilizing device for a submarine mine of the magnetic sub-floating type.

Another object of the invention is the provision'of a fin assembly for a marine mine which may be readily collapsed and which when unfolded and attached toa mine prevents rolling and pitching of the mine when the mine is moored in a strong tide or a swift current as the case may be.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a collapsible fin assembly for use with a marine mine having means for quickly attaching the assembly to the mine casing.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved fin assembly for a sub-floating mine which is capable of being collapsed and stowed in a minimum amount of space.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated 'as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is an elevational view of the fin assembly con structed in accordance with the present invention illustrating a fragmentary portion of the mine with the fin assembly attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the center fin section of the assembly;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the left fin section of the assembly;

Fig. 8 isan elevational view of the right fin section of the assembly;

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of the device in a col.- lapsed or stowage condition; and

tates Patent Fig. 10 is a view of the device collapsed as seen at a right angle with respect to Fig. 9.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof the numeral 10 indicates the nose of a conventional mine having a cover 11 secured thereto by a plurality of mutually spaced nuts 12. The cover 11 is provided with the conventional lifting eye 13 integrally formed therewith and extending outwardly therefrom, the eye 13 providing means whereby the stabilizing device of the present invention generally indicated by the reference character 14 may be easily and quickly attached to the nose of the mine.

Briefly, the stabilizing device comprises a pair of mutually spaced spiders or supports 15-46 having arranged and locked therebetween fin section 17, 18 and 19.

The spider 15 comprises a member or plate 21 having an annular flange 22 in bearing engagement with the mine easing as at 20 and a plurality of mutually spaced reinforcing webs 23, each web being provided with a curved surface 24 which follows the spherical surface of the mine casing.

As more clearly shown on Fig. 2 the member 21 is provided with a plurality of openings 25 in spaced relation with respect to each other, each of the openings enclosing one of said nuts 12 whereupon the aforesaid spider 15 is centered on the nose of the mine and rotation of the fin assembly is prevented when the assembly is attached to the mine. The member 15 is provided with a plurality of diametrically disposed slots 30 the purpose of which will be more clearly apparent as the description proceeds.

The spider or support 16 comprises a centrally disposed hub 26 having an annular flange 27 spaced therefrom and connected thereto by a plurality of radial disposed spokes or webs 28. The flange 27 is provided with a plurality of diametrically disposed slots 29 the purpose of which will be more clearly apparent as the description proceeds.

As more clearly shown on Figs. 3 and 6 the center fin section 17 comprises a plate 31 having a plurality of centrally disposed oppositely arranged and mutually spaced struck-out portions 33;

The plate 31 is further provided with a pair of inclined struck-out reinforcing members 34 and a pair of oppositely disposed reinforcing flanges 35 integrally formed with the plate and arranged at a right angle with respect thereto.

The fin sections 18 and 19 Figs. 7 and 8 each comprise a plate 36-37 having a plurality of centrally disposed and mutually spaced barrels 38-39 integrally formed therewith respectively. Each of the aforesaid plates is provided with an inclined struck-out reinforcing member 41 and a reinforcing flange 42 integrally formed therewith and arranged at a right angle with respect thereto.

It will be noted in Fig. 2 that when the device is attached to the mine casing the aforesaid struck-out members 33 on member 17 and the barrels 38-39 on members-18 and 19 interlock in such a manner as to provide a continuous centrally arranged hinge barrel 43 which supports a pin generally indicated by the reference character 44. The pin comprises a hook 45 formed on one end thereof in locking engagement with the lifting eye 13, the other end thereof being threaded as at 46 for threaded engagement with a locking device generally indicated by the numeral 47. By this arrangement the fin assembly may be quickly attached and locked to the mine casing. When the assembly is attached to the mine casing one end of each of members 31, 35 and 37 is disposed within their respective slots 29 formed in spider 16, the flange 22 being seated in diametrically disposed slots 49 formed in member 31 and a slot 51 formed in each of the members 36-37. By the aforesaid arrangement the assembly is securely locked to the mine casing U and members 31, 36 and 37 are securely locked to spiders 15-16 whereupon rotary and longitudinal movement of the assembly is prevented.

The locking nut 47 is provided with a pair of diametrically disposed elongated actuating members 52. or handles for quickly threading nut 47 into locking engage ment with the spider l6. The members 52 are preferably composed of ductile material whereupon positive locking of the nut 47 on pin 46 may be accomplished by bending the handles between the fins at a substantial right angle with respect to the initial position of the handles as best shown on Figs. 1 and 2.

In Figs. 9 and the device is shown in a collapsed or stowage condition, the component parts thereof which include fin sections 17, i8, 19 and spiders 16 being detachably secured together by a bolt 53 and wing nut 54, the bolt being disposed within an opening 55 formed in member 31 and a corresponding opening 56 formed in member as, Figs. 6 and 7. The nut 47 is detachably secured to members 31 and 37 by a U-shaped clip 57, bolt 58 and wing nut 59, Figs. 9 and 10, the bolt 58 being disposed within an opening 61 formed in member 31 and a corresponding opening 62 formed in member 37.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a new and improved stabilizing device has been devised which is capable of being stowed in a minimum amount of space when collapsed and which is capable of being quickly assembled and securely locked to the mine casing in a minimum amount of time. Moreover, the invention provides a fin assembly suitable for use with a subfloating mine and composed of non-magnetic material which is sufliciently light in weight to facilitate handling during installation and which causes stability of the mine when the mine is moored in a body of water having strong tides and swift currents.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A mine stabilizing device of the character described comprising a plurality of stabilizing fins releasably locked to said mine, means including a pair of mutually spaced annular members in locking engagement with the fins for maintaining said fins in mutual spaced relation, a pin carried by said fins and having a hook in engagement with said mine for releasably attaching said fins and annular members to said mine, and a locking member threaded on said pin in engagement with one of the annular members for maintaining the fins and annular members locked to said mine.

2. A mine stabilizing device of the character described comprising a plurality of radially disposed stabilizing fins releasably locked to said mine, means including a pin carried by said fins and having a hook member in engagement with said mine for releasably locking said fins to the mine, and means including a lock nut threaded on said pin in engagement with the fins for maintaining the fins locked to said mine.

3. A collapsible stabilizing device for a marine mine comprising a centrally disposed fin, a pair of fin members pivotally mounted on said fin and extending outwardly therefrom in opposite directions, means carried by said fin for pivotally mounting said pair of fin members on the fin, means including 'a pair of mutually spaced annular members for locking the fin and fin members to said mine, means threaded on said pivot means for maintaining the locking means in locking engagement with said fin and fin members, and means on said pivot means for attaching said device to said mine.

4. A collapsible stabilizing device for a marine mine comprising a centrally disposed fin, a pair of fin mem- 4 bers pivotally mounted on said fin and extending outwardly therefrom in opposite directions, a pin carried by said fin for pivotally mounting said pair of fin members on the fin, means including a pair of mutually spaced annular spiders in engagement with said fin and fin members for locking and preventing rotation of said fin and fin members, means on said pin in engagement with said mine for securing said device to said mine, and means threaded on said pin in engagement with said fin and fin members for maintaining said securing means in looking engagement with the mine.

5. A collapsible stabilizing device for a marine mine comprising a plurality of pivotally mounted separable fin sections, a spider arranged on one end of said fin sections in abutting engagement with said mine, a second spider arranged on the other end of said fin sections, means on said spiders in engagement with said fin sections for locking said fin sections to said spiders, a pivot pin for said fin sections, hook means on said pin in engagement with said mine for attaching said device to said mine, and means threaded on said pin in engagement with said second spider and fin sections for maintaining said hook means locked to said mine and the locking means in locking engagement with said fin sections.

6. A collapsible stabilizing device for a marine mine comprising a plurality of pivotally mounted separable fin sections, a pivot pin for said fin sections, hook means on said pin in engagement with said mine for attaching said device to said mine, a pair of annular spiders disposed at opposite ends or" said fin sections, means on said spiders for locking said fin sections thereto, and means threaded on said pin in engagement with one of said spiders and the fin sections for maintaining said hook means attached to said mine and the locking means in locking engagement with said fin sections.

7. A collapsible stabilizing device for a sub-floating body having an attaching eye formed thereon and comprising a plurality of pivotally mounted separable fin sections, a pivot pin for said fin sections, hook means on said pin in engagement with said eye for attaching said device to the body, an annular spider arranged on one end of said fin sections in locking engagement therewith, a second annular spider arranged on the other end of said fin sections in locking engagement therewith, locking means on said first spider for locking said one end of the fin sections thereto, second locking means on said second spider for locking said other end or" said fin sections thereto, and a locknut threaded on said pin in engagement with said second spider and having a pair of diametrically disposed arms tormed thereon in engagement with said fin sections for maintaining said hook means attached to said eye and the first and second locking means in locking engagement with their respective ends of said fin sections.

8. A stabilizing assembly for a sub-floating mine comprising a centrally disposed fin, a pair of fin members pivotally mounted on said fin and extending outwardly therefrom in opposite directions, a centrally disposed pintle carried by said fin for pivotally mounting said pair of tin members thereon, a spider arranged on one end of said fin and fin members in looking engagement therewith and seated on said mine, a second spider arranged at the other end of said fin and fin members in locking engagement therewith, a nut threaded on one end of said pintle in abutting engagement with said second spider for maintaining the second spider in locking engagement with said other end of said fin and fin members and said first named spider in locking engagement with said one end of the fin and fin members, and means on said nut in locking engagement with said second spider, fin and fin members for preventing rotary and longitudinal movement of said spiders, fin and fin members.

9. A collapsible stabilizing assembly for a sub-floating minecomprising a centrally disposed fin, a pair of auxiliary fins pivotally mounted on said fin and extending outwardly therefrom in opposite directions, a centrally disposed pintle carried by said fin for pivotally mounting said auxiliary fins thereto, a spider arranged on one end of the said fin and auxiliary fins in locking engagement therewith and in abutting engagement with said mine, a second spider arranged at the other end of said fin and auxiliary fins in looking engagement therewith, locking means on said spiders, a nut threaded on one end of said pintle in abutting engagement with said second spider for maintaining the locking means thereon in locking engagement with said other end of the fin and auxiliary fins and the locking means on said first spider in locking engagement with said one end of the fin and auxiliary fins, and hook means on said pintle for securely locking said device to said mine when said nut is moved into abutting engagement with said second spider.

10. A stabilizing assembly for a sub-floating mine comprising a centrally disposed fin, a pair of fin sections pivotally mounted on said fin and extending outwardly therefrom in opposite directions, a centrally disposed pintle for pivotally mounting said pair of fin sections to said fin, a spider arranged at one end of said fin and fin sections in locking engagement therewith and in abutting engagement with said mine, a second spider arranged at the other end of said fin and fin sections in locking engagement therewith, a nut threaded on said pintle in abutting engagement with said second spider for maintaining the second spider in locking engagement with said other end of said fin and fin sections and said first named spider in locking engagement with said one end of the fin and fin sections and in abutting engagement with the mine, hook means on said pintle in engagement with the mine for locking said assembly to said mine when the nut is moved into abutting engagement with said second spider, and means on said nut in engagement with said fin and fin sections for preventing rotary and longitudinal movement of said assembly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,272,461 Kocialek July 16, 1918 2,459,357 Bell Ian. 18, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 380,734 Italy May 31, 1940 

